
Better (not bigger) at Outsourced Logistics
Outsourced Logistics–We’re Just Better
Here at AM Transport, we live by the motto: BETTER not bigger. We know that in the logistics arena, having a smaller, more agile team translates into big benefits for you when you outsource your logistics to us.
We start with relationships.
We focus on getting to know you and your business. Our team members are not passing through the transportation business on their way to something better. They are career professionals, cross-trained in all aspects of the logistics industry. And unlike teams in larger organizations, our team members work together to make sure your freight is picked up and delivered on time by small carriers with exceptional service records.
Here’s the thing, the folks on our team just don’t fail because they’re willing to go the extra mile for you. To keep the metaphor going–we’re in it for the long haul. And this is for all customers whatever their shipping needs.
Take a new shipper we’ve begun working with through our self-service LTL portal. We’ve always offered stellar LTL services, but our LTL portal simplifies the shipping process, providing customers access to great carriers and efficient booking.
This new shipper got set up on our portal and put her shipment in as Class 65. With self-service LTL, you are required to enter freight class and the NMFC#. Everything went A-OK, but when UPS picked up her freight, they determined that the class was incorrect and reclassified it at Class 125.
So UPS upcharged AMT for the reclassification. To be clear, it was a mistake on the customer’s part, but we don’t like it when this happens. We want to figure out why it happened and how to make sure our customer doesn’t accrue any more of these unnecessary charges.
We called the customer and explained what occurred. We did a little digging and found out that this very thing had happened before. You see, classing your freight can be difficult, and often the shippers who are tasked with this are confused by the process and don’t have clear information or direction.
And you know what–this HAD happened before; however, the 3PL our shipper was working with had no explanation for the extra charges. In other words, that 3PL passed on the costs with a shrug and a simple, “It happens.”
That’s not how we operate. In fact, our customers are too important for us. With a little discovery, we realized that our shipper’s freight classification has three different sub-classifications based on density weight. We created a process for her to figure density for her shipments and sent her an email with detailed instructions, so moving forward she would be sure to use the right class for her freight.
Outsourced Logistics: Happy Customers
And you know what–our shipper was so happy! Relieved. No one had ever told her this before. She had been classifying her freight incorrectly, and sometimes this cost her extra money and time. But now she’s set up with the right information.
This is what we’re talking about when we say relationships matter. We don’t mind taking the extra steps, doing a little discovery work to ensure a better shipping experience for our customers. It’s just how we work because it’s the right thing to do.
Small Provider: Big Benefits
We’re a small provider because creating long-term relationships with our customers and carriers matters to us. We’re a small provider because we choose to spend our valuable time and resources educating and retaining our team members. We’re small because we choose to invest in technology not to increase our multiples of worth, but to provide value and service for customers and carriers. We LIKE answering our own phones. And when you’re small, you can do that. When you call us, you’ll never have to punch your way up a phone tree to reach the right person. You’ll never reach an answering service because we’re available 24/7/365. We know you’re busy, and we’re happy to help.
Forbes Small Giant
This year, AM Transport Services was named to the Forbes’ Small Giants Top 25 Best Small Companies in America. If you’re interested in working with a group of people who know logistics and have your best interests at heart, schedule a call today. You won’t be sorry.